Replacing Your Ford Bumper Cover: OEM, Aftermarket, New, or Used?

The first dilemma a Ford owner faces when shopping for a new bumper cover is whether they should buy an OEM or aftermarket bumper cover. The next question they usually ask is, “new or used?”

If you have the same questions, let’s explore the pros and cons of each option to determine which type of bumper cover is the best one for you.

OEM Bumper Covers

OEM is a good choice because OEM parts are made just for your model. An OEM bumper cover is made to provide maximum protection and guarantees exact fitment. OEM bumper covers also come with many more benefits, including:

• Quality: Ford makes sure all of its genuine OEM bumper covers are built with top quality materials. Not only do these materials hold up well over time, but they’re also specifically designed to assist the impact bar in absorbing impact in a crash.
• Warranty: If your OEM bumper cover fails within 24 months of purchase, Ford will replace it for free under their Service Parts Warranty. Pretty sweet deal, if you ask us.

The one possible drawback of replacing your bumper cover with an OEM unit is upfront cost. OEM bumper covers can be quite expensive, but it’s not always true.

The general rule of thumb is OEM bumper covers are much more expensive at dealerships than they are online. Dealerships charge an insane markup for OEM parts, while you can find those same parts at discounted prices online. FordPartsOnSale.com is a good place to start. We offer great discounts for genuine OEM Ford parts, including bumper covers.

Essentially, OEM bumper covers are a great affordable choice when you buy one from us.

Aftermarket Bumper Covers

Some find aftermarket parts attractive because they’re usually inexpensive, but you know what they say, “if you go cheap, you get cheap.”

It’s common for aftermarket manufacturers to cut corners to save as much money as possible. This involves using subpar quality materials. When it comes to bumper covers, quality is everything. Not only do you want your bumper cover to look good, but you also want it still look good a year down the road.

Even if you get an aftermarket bumper cover built with high-quality materials, it may still have drawbacks, such as:

• Fitment issues: Aftermarket bumper covers aren’t really built to OEM specs, so more often than not, there will be fitment issues. When you have an ill-fitting aftermarket bumper cover, not only does it look bad, but you’re also facing the risk of it coming loose.
• Lack of warranty: It’s rare for an aftermarket bumper cover to be backed by a warranty. Even the aftermarket manufacturers that warranty their products typically offer a basic warranty policy that doesn’t cover much, if anything. So it’s likely that, when your aftermarket bumper cover fails (even if it happens only a week after you bought it), you’ll have to splurge on a new one.

New or Used?

Many people are tempted to get a used OEM bumper cover from a junkyard. Obviously, used bumper covers are much cheaper, but are they really worth it? We say no.

There’s a high chance a used bumper cover has damaged attachment points. Attachment points are really easy to damage when removing a bumper cover. Are people who work at a junkyard really careful? We don't think so. And, of course, a used bumper cover isn’t covered under warranty.

Also, a bumper cover from a junkyard will already be painted, and will probably come with a fair share of nicks and scrapes. It's almost impossible to find a bumper cover that matches your paint color exactly. So, if you want the cover to match the color of your car, you'll have to have a body shop prep and paint it.

If you ask us, a brand new bumper cover is definitely worth the extra few dollars. However, you can actually save a bunch of money on a brand new OEM bumper cover.

Just because you’re on a budget doesn’t mean that you’re stuck getting a used or aftermarket bumper cover. You can skip the dealership (who imposes a hefty markup on their bumper covers) and get a brand new OEM bumper cover from us instead. We offer discounted prices for genuine OEM bumper covers for all types of Ford models.